Received a Competitive Alternate Nomination...

I am honored to have received a Nomination as a Competitive Alternate. However, this means that as long as the Principal Nominee is qualified, I won’t get an appointment through this slate. How difficult is it to be selected from the NWL, and about how many are selected from the list each year? (For USMA, if that makes a difference. I have also received an LOA to another Academy.)

There is no exact answer to your question as the NWL is a moving target but it does make the process much harder. The process favors college re-applicants and unless you are at the very high end of the class profile, your chances are less.

With that said, many candidates do not become qualified for numerous reasons so there is still hope. I have seen principal nominees not qualified in academics and medical.

You should start seriously looking at Plan B and C and make sure you have everything you need to make an informed decision when the time comes.

While it may not seem that way today, re-applicants do have an advantage and are usually much more successful the second time around.